1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an undergarment, and more particularly to a man's undergarment having the combined quality and characteristics of a brief and an athletic supporter but designed to provide comfort and support rather than a "compacting" effect of a normal athletic supporter and which is of scant dimensions and fits snugly about a man's body with leg openings of such size as to provide additional comfort to the wearer not found in briefs.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
An athletic supporter has been and is currently widely used. This type of supporter consists of elastic straps holding a knitted pouch. The pouch has no body and consequently does not maintain a predetermined shape. Moreover, the athletic supporter does not have any covering cloth panels except for the pouch, and obviously does not take the place of a brief, shorts, trunks, or the like. The athletic supporter is usually worn by those engaged in sports for protective purposes, and is not usually worn by man in his everyday activities or pursuits. If one would wear such athletic supporter during normal activities, an additional undergarment such as shorts would also be worn to provide coverage for the buttocks and adjoining body portions.
In addition, it is also understood that the conventional briefs or undergarments of this general type, do not provide the support of the kind attributed to an athletic supporter. These undergarments are made of cloth that sags, pinches, rubs or rides up, and have an inside fly that reduces or precludes any supportive characteristics that might otherwise exist.
One such prior art garment is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,442 to Steinmetz which discloses a man's supporter brief undergarment that includes an elastic U-shaped pouch strap attached to an elastic waistband, and an elastic panel attached to and located inside the U-shaped strap to provide a shaped, supporting pouch at the front of the garment. A pair of elastic leg straps are attached to the U-shaped strap substantially at the strap bight, and are attached to opposite sides of the U-shaped strap to provide leg openings. A cloth covering is attached to and extends between the waistband, pouch strap and leg straps. Although Steinmetz purports to provide additional room for comfort, the pouch is vertical and would not provide much additional room. In addition, the leg openings would also not be large enough to prevent binding while seated.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,534,024 to Hochbaum, although not directed to a man's undergarment, discloses women's underwear of the type which is of scant dimensions and fits snugly about a person's body and is formed along its sides with leg openings of such size that margins of the leg openings fit closely about upper portions of the legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,525 to Hwang discloses underpants with smooth side panels free of protruding edges and elastic bands to provide comfort during sleeping on either side to minimize waistband discomfort and render the sides of the underpants inconspicuous when worn under a pair of trousers or skirt. Although Hwang provides large leg openings, it does not provide a pouch for male wear.
All of the above patents are directed to the comfort of the wearer and are attempts to solve the problems associated with wearing undergarments. However, each of the prior art improvements are restricted by their use of conventional shapes and materials. Merely combining the features of an athletic supporter with those of a pair of briefs is insufficient to correct the problems with the prior art undergarments.